Aeroplane shock-absorber



` 1. T. HUGHES.

AEROPLANE SHOCK ABSORBER. r 1 AFP'LlcA'Tl'N man Aus. 12v. 1920.

. Patented May "17, 1921.

JOHN T. HUGHES, or coUNcIL BLUFFs, Iowa.'

AEnoPLANE sHocx-Ansomsnn. l

Specification ot Letters Patent.. Patented May 17, 192,1.

Application led August 12, 1920. Serial No. 403,008.

To all lwhom, t may concern:A

Be it known that' I, JOHN T. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplane Shock-Absorbers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention' relates to aero-' planes, andmore particularly to shock absorbers for the running gear of aeroplanes or the like machines.

An object of the invention is to providean lmproved shock absorbing mechanism which will cushion the front wheels of the aeroplane in landing and will thus compensate for inequalities in the ground over which the aeroplane may be traveling at the time of alighting to the end that breakage of thewheels or parts of the aeroplane l may be avoided.

p further object ofthe invention consists in providing a device of the above character which will -have the further effect to cushion the landing device against lateral strains which are often encountered in alighting by reason of the lateral tilt of the plane or the unequal character of the landlng ground.

A still further object of the invention lies in providinga simple and inexpensive construction of shock `absorbing device which can be mounted on existing types of aeroin section.

plane running gear without alteration in the construction thereof and which will form a compact device presenting a neat ap earance. Y

ith the foregoing and other objects in ,view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.'

In the drawings, wherein like symbols re- 4fer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a Side view of an aeroplane having a running gear embodying a shock absorbing device constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational i view with parts broken away of one of the landing wheels showing the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a similar view wlth parts shown Fig. 4 a .sectional view taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. `5 is a view vin elevation with-parts broken away of a d'etail.

eferring more particularly to the draw.- lngs, 1 0 designates generally anv aero lane of any conventional construction an V-formation.' the lower portion of the legs 11 are provided with vertically elongated slots 13 in which the parts of the axle 14 carrying the usual landlng wheels 15 are mounted to move back and forth, but which normally occupy a po'- sition at the base of the slots by the action of spring means hereinafter referred to.

The lower slotted portions of the legs 11g as well as the adjacent parts of the diagonal legs 12 whichjoin therewith are bifurcated, as clearly shown in Figs, 2 and 3, and across these bifurcated ends extend bolts 16 and 17 which, in addition to other functions presently described, also serve to brace the same.

The upper bolt 16 carries a block of rubber or other suitable material 18 constitut- -ing a bumper which at lower end overemf i bodying the' supporting legs 11 and 12 which are unlted at their lower ends inA the usual According to the invention larly rolled-over edge at the forward part of a second fiat spring 20. The latter spring extends at an inclination rearwardlyso as to join with the substantially horizontally extending'` spring 19 near the lower end thereof where such springs are secured together as by bolts 21. A

The bolts also serve to secure tothe springs a shackle 22, lthe major portion of which extends vertically and is slotted, as

yindicated at 23, to receivev the lower end. of 'a leather or other exible strap 24 extendmg in looped formation. A second shackle 25 l receives the upper bight of the strap 24, this last-mentioned shackle being pivoted as indicated at 26 on the leg 12.

The bifurcated dportions of the legs 11 and 12 at opposite s1des of the machine are fitted with their slotted portions 13 set inwardly -a distance. from the landing wheels 15 and coil springs 27 and 28 are wound, in a suitable number of` convolutions about-the 1 axle 14 at opposite sides of-such leg l f in the landing. When the wheels 15 meet .with inequalities or obstructions in the surby tightening the set screw 30, which must, of course, be previously loosened to permit the movement of the collar just referred to.

In like manner a Set collar 31 is associated with the inner end of the other spring 28.

and acts in a similar manner to adjust the' tension of the spring.

In operation, as the plane 10 lands upon the ground the Wheels 15 will first come in contact with the surface, and it is very difficult, unless the surface is exceedingly smooth and the aviator careful and skilful, to avoid at least some slight jarring of the running gear. Where the ground is rough or uneven great shocks will be encountered face or are caused to impinge with force against the ground, the axle 14 will be per-- mitted to ride upwardlyin the slotted porv tions 13 of the supporting legs in a resillent manner b the yielding of the springs 19 and 20 w ich will be pried apart by this action, and which will, of course, immediately tend to restore the axle 14 to its lowermost position in the slots 13 whenever the force of such shocks subsides.

Should the axle 14 rise to the top of the slots 13 which are made elongated to meetgenerally all purposes, such axle will encounter the bumper 18 which will act as a cushion stop and thereby prevent a too great expansion of' the springs 19 and 20 `which would cause them to break. v

In casethe plane is at an inclination laterally when it lands or the character of the ground is such as to cause lateral strains to e transmitted to the wheels 15, lthe body of the aeroplane will be permitted to partake of a sidewise movement with respect to the axle 14. in which it will be resisted only by the springs 27 or 28 according to parting from the spirit of the invention, it-V being only necessary that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimedl is: 1. In combination with an aeroplane, supporting legs therefor having slots therein, an axle movable in said slots, Wheels on said axle, pairs of leafsprings connected together at one end and having their opposite free endssecured respectively to said axle and to said legs, means tol secure the joined ends of said springs to the legs, and

a bumper for limiting the movement of said axle.

2. In combination with an aeroplane, a running gear therefor, an axle vertically shiftable in said runninggear, landing wheels on the axle, pairsof leaf springs connected together at one end and having their opposite freeends secured respectively to said axle and to a fixed part of the running gear, and means to secure the joined ends of said springs to the running gear.

3. In combination with an aeroplane, bifurcated supporting legs-therefor having vertically elongated slots therein, an axle movable in said slots,y wheels on said axle, a bumper held between the bifurcated portions of the legs and projecting downwardly into the upper portions of the slots, pairs of leaf springs connected together at one end and having their opposite free ends entering between the bifurcations of the legs and being secured respectively to the vaxle and to said legs, and means to iexibly seure the joined endsof said springs'to the egs.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. HUGHES.

Witnesses:

E. C. STURGES, .A Aa'rHUR H. STURGEs. 

